The absolute best 2 pieces of advice I ever got when I got my sewing machine came from Dan when he told me to take the machine down to a sewing machine service center that works on industrial machines and have it gone over, and to throw away any thread and pre-filled bobbins that were over a year old.

I took my Juki in and had it serviced ($90) and it works great. They took it apart and cleaned it, checked bearings and bushings for excessive wear, lubed everything up, set the timing, and a few other things. I dropped it off on a Monday and picked it up that Friday. It hums right along.

When you go to pick the machine up, ask to talk to the tech who worked on your machine. That's the time to ask him (her) to show you exactly where to oil it and how often. Also ask if there is anything special you need to know about maintenance of that particular machine. I did that when I picked up my machine, and he gave me some great advice for keeping it in good running condition. His first piece of advice was to make a cover for it to keep dust and schmutz out of it when you're not using it (a great first project, BTW...)

I doubted Dan's advice to toss all the thread and bobbins until I got a new spool of thread for a project, and boy did it make a huge difference in how smooth the machine runs. If you absolutely know that the thread and bobbins are fairly new, you might be okay, but if you aren't sure or have reason to believe they're old, toss 'em and get new thread. It really DOES make a big difference.

I told her I would take the machine and all the extra stuff. I'm going to be gone all week so I will pick it up a week from Monday.

I'll go thru the 'stuff' and like you say just toss the thread. I had planned on that anyway. All the bobbins are in a plastic bag as are the attachments. There are a bunch of service centers here in the twin Cities so that won't be a problem.

I did run across some info on the servo motor so I think I'll use what is there to start with then upgrade. Liken it going from a 'head shaker' welding helmet to and auto dark.

I was thinking of a first project today and the cover idea came up so that will be first on the list. I've got my big generator to make a cover for as well as maybe a car cover. I was looking closely at one of the car covers in the shop today and the first thing I need to learn after figuring out how to start and stop the thing is to make it 'gather'....make the bottom of the cover stretchy.

I know you guys are just giggling like crazy at this newbee engineer but I just ask you to tread lightly as I do have background in the textile industry. I did machine design on opening equipment thru spinning. Mostly cotton. I'll try to learn the terminology as quickly as possible.

Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

Dan, I may take a cruise up to visit you later this summer. I'm more from MN but have been to many places in Wisc.

1) It's HEAVY! The head on my Juki weighs close to 70lbs. I swear it's made out of cast iron or something! Add a table and motor, and - well, you see where this is going. Take along a buddy to help you load and unload. You won't do it yourself.

2) It's most likely set up to run very fast. Most industrial machines are set up to be used for hours on end, and time is money. I posted instructions on how I slowed my machine down for less than $20 here:

I was thinking of a first project today and the cover idea came up so that will be first on the list. I've got my big generator to make a cover for as well as maybe a car cover. I was looking closely at one of the car covers in the shop today and the first thing I need to learn after figuring out how to start and stop the thing is to make it 'gather'....make the bottom of the cover stretchy.

There are two ways to gather the bottom of the car cover. One way is to sew elastic shock cord (usually 1/4" in diameter) into a pocket at the bottom. The other way is to sew the bottom of the cover to wide elastic while stretching the elastic as you go. Of the two ways, the shock cord way is much easier, and easier to adjust to a final fit.

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I went and looked at the 2 car covers again at the shop today. Both are low buck unlined of different material. Neither of them are particularly soft considering they are on classic cars. I did look closer at the gathering. I don't think there is any elastic or stretch material in either one. The gather is across the front and across the back of both covers. The material is not very heavy...maybe like the weight of a light sweat shirt. It looks like it was bunched somehow at sewing. The stitch is very small...2 rows, like a double needle or some other machine for this.

I looked at a bunch of clothes at home and the closest I can describe is that it looks like the hem at the bottom of the legs of a well worn pair of jeans except that it is more stretchy. The material gives a little but I wouldn't call it stretchy. I also pulled up the fitted sheet on our bed...It definitely has elastic sewn into it. My wife commented that it is hard enough to get me to help make the bed and now I rip it up just to check out the fitted sheet.

Anyway, is that really correct....1.00" dia ??? that sounds pretty large. I do like the idea of the shock cord. I saw some on a spool at Tractor Supply. It was really light, much lighter than bungee cords.

If it does not stretch and it is gathered, then it was shirred by a dedicated shirring machine. Sorry about that, the diameter of the shock cord is 1/4", not 1". I edited my post to correct that error.

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Well, I picked up the machine and accessories. (Consew 226) The first thing I did was fix the plug. No big deal just loose wires. I did plug it in and cleared everything and just let it turn over slowly. It's quiet and smooth. Nice. I think I can "drive the clutch" pretty easy so I'll leave the speed alone for now.

Now for the trip home. Smart me thinks that the head is easily removable. So I tip it back then see the hinges need something more than just unhitching. Then...oh no oil all over the floor and the pedal. The pan..drip pan??? under the machine is full of oil. There is only a 1/4 inch lip on the end over the pedal and as soon as we lifted the machine oil ran all over the place. Good thing it was in the garage and not my house carpet. I mopped it up the best I could however when I got home my wife saw it and said "You get one, just one drop of that slime on the carpet and you, that machine and that dually are going to be found in the river " (it's in near record flood ) So it's now wrapped in plastic and a couple of old towels. Sure hope it doesn't leak.

So do I just take this out and clean it??? Looks like it needs a taller lip on the left side. I did get a nice stainless steel oil can full of fresh sewing oil so I can oil the machine. I'll get another can of oil tomorrow.

There is an original instruction book. Pretty skimpy. I'd really like a picture of how to thread this machine ( Consew 226) The manual says Consew 225.
There are 3 large spools of thread, both new in packing. There is a full pack of needles 135 x 17 x 17 also marked 8210. There are 10 other loose needles of unknown size. How do I determine what needle sizes are there?? There are about 200 bobbins (Conso disc bobbins) of red and a light tan new in the box size HB 69. There is a box with a couple attachments. They each have a tunnel in them, one about 3/16 dia the other looks to be about 5/16 dia. These look to be new or very slightly used. I'll take pictures tomorrow.

One last question for now. What is the difference between the 225, 226 and the various letter designators????

It sounds like your machine is set up to be self oiling, a machine without that feature would not have that much oil in it. You don't have to use that feature, you can just oil it by hand if you want to, just don't re-fill the oil reservoir.
The difference between the 225 and 226 is that I don't think the 225 has reverse, and the 225 will sew 3 1/2 to 4 stitches per inch while the 226 has a 5 stitch per inch maximum stitch size.
There's no way to determine what the loose needles are, the difference is in the thickness of the shaft so just toss them out, they are probably used anyway. For how to thread the machine look at post #4 in this thread: CLICK HERE

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I have the 225 and it does not have reverse. It sews 3 1/2 to 4 per inch when set at that. I notice the machine makes the "3 1/2 to 4 inch " call depending on how thick the material is. Take a look on youtube and you'll see a few video's about this machine.

I guess I missed the manual posted. It's much better than mine. My machine must be a 226 as it has a reverse but no belt guard. The pictures are almost exactly like my machine. The threading pictures will surely help.

I think I can get new oil today but needles and thread may have to wait until tomorrow as I'll probably have to go to the other side of town to the industrial fabric store. What should I get for needles and thread.???

I'm going to clean up the oil pan and underside before I start. I need to make absolutely sure no oil gets anywhere but where it is supposed to be.

The table cleaned up nicely. There is even a metal tray that slips under the table in a couple channels. Looks original and in good shape.

This machine sat for at least a year and a half after the owner passed away. He only used it to do one large car restoration. The car is ready to go back together and looks very nice. Reddish real leather. He did a very nice job for not being a "seamster"

For needles, I use size 18 to size 22, and most of the time it's a 22. They should be needle system 135X17. For thread you can use nylon or polyester which should be at least size 69. I switched a few years ago to all polyester thread in size 92 for normal sewing. No belt guard only means it's an older machine like mine that didn't have one when I got it.

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No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
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Take a look and see if I have the thread loaded properly. I think I missed the large rectangular loop the last time I broke the thread. I managed to lay a few stitches in the end of an old towel. Terrycloth is probably not the best to practice on. It likes to bunch up unless you hold tension on it.

I have tried adjusting the thread tension but so far it seems where I started works the best. I wanted to try the stitch length but I didn't get that far before the leather drive belt broke. It was slipping and broke right at the end of the towel when I tried reverse.

Here are a couple pictures of the attachments. The silver colored one has 5/16 marked on it. The tunnel looks to be about 5/16. The black set has 1/8 marked on the small foot and 1/4 marked on the large foot. What are these for???

Also the small flat plate looks like it might fit on the 2 holes at the bottom right of the head. I don't have a clue what this is for either.

The machine runs pretty quiet and smooth except the leather belt slipped some then finally the link pulled out...rather the hole broke on side.

I'll try and get a standard v-belt in the morning. I'll try and get a 1/4 in belt but the auto parts stores don't usually have these.

I was at the local fabric store to get some sewing machine oil and they didn't have any needles for this. They did have some auto headliner material in the color I want so I think I'll get a yard or 2 and just practice on it.

I got the oil pan cleaned out...what a mess. The 3 heavy legs don't seem to have any wick in them so I think it is a manual oil unless there is another oil pan available. I think I will remake this thing out of stainless ot aluminum.

As I was cleaning out the pan I dropped a needle somewhere and I can't find it .. I'll probably step on it and ram it under a toenail some night or sit on it.

Your attachments are both welt feet. The silver one is a 5/16" welt foot and the black is a 1/4" welt foot. To determine what welt foot to use, add 3/32" to the size of the welt cord and use the welt foot that is the closest. If you're using 5/32" welt cord, which is the normal standard size, add 3/32 to 5/32 and you get 8/32, or 1/4". Use the 1/4" welt foot. 99% of the welt cord you sew will be with a 1/4" welt foot. There is a presser foot on your machine right now.

You don't have the thread right going through the thread guide on the top of the machine, and I can't tell if you ran the thread through the small thread guide just above the needle. See the two pictures. The only time you put the thread through the top guide like that is if you are sewing with very heavy thread, like 207.

Don't use a 1/4" belt, use a 3VX belt (cog belt) or a 3L belt (smooth belt), which are both 3/8" belts.

The oil pan is just a drip pan, and if oil spilled out all over the place, it was oiled way too much. The openings on the machine marked with red paint are where you should oil. You also need to open the cover on the left end of the machine and oil the two wicks in that mechanism. This only takes a couple drops of oil, you don't need to soak the machine with oil. All that does is waste oil.

Attached Thumbnails

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No one lives forever, the trick is creating something that will.
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I missed the 2 oil spots on the front so I just did them now. the rest of the red ones I figured out as well as the ball holes.

The post on the top of the machine is turned 90 deg clockwise looking down on it. That was why I got confused using the manual as a guide. Otherwise I had it as you show but it kept breaking the thread as soon as the slack from the post to the spool was taken up. I assume the post can be turned but I didn't have a decent pliers to move it. I have a soft jaw pliers at the shop that will move it.

I really missed the little guide by the needle. Yep, the thread is not going thru it so I fixed that too.

I'm on the way to get the belt. There is an industrial supply place not too far from the shop that most likely will have the belt. I'll check the auto parts stores too but they probably don't have it. McMaster Carr has it however and they have one day delivery. $12 or so.

I'm amazed that this machine is as quiet as it is. I was working with it at 2 am this morning and my wife didn't even hear it run. I work her up however went the belt broke cussing at it. haha

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